Claims
- 1. A method of limiting the course of treatment for an infestation of lice, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. treating the infestation by applying a treatment agent to a subject;
- b. providing a chemical agent that provides a visual indication of cell metabolic activity;
- c. periodically obtaining a plurality of louse egg casings from the subject during the course of treatment;
- d. exposing the egg casings to the chemical agent;
- e. observing the exposed casings for the visual indication;
- f. determining a ratio of louse egg casings that exhibit metabolic activity to louse egg casings that do not; and
- g. terminating application of the treatment agent when the ratio indicates substantial eradication of the infestation, thereby shortening the course of treatment.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the visual indication is provided by a colorimetric assay wherein an observable color indicates a degree of egg casing metabolic activity.
- 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a color chart having multiple, differently colored entries, each entry corresponding to a different degree of egg casing metabolic activity;
- b. comparing the exposed egg casings to the color chart to find the entry whose color most closely matches that of the exposed egg casings; and
- c. determining the ratio of louse egg casings that exhibit metabolic activity to louse egg casings that do not based on successive comparisons.
- 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the chemical agent changes color to reflect the degree of egg casing metabolic activity.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the chemical agent is contained in solution, and the solution containing the chemical agent and the egg casing are observed for the visual indication.
- 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the chemical agent is 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide.
- 7. The method of claim 4 wherein the chemical agent is carboxy-methyl ester.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical agent is absorbed by louse egg casings that exhibit metabolic activity but not by louse egg casings that do not, the method further comprising the step of, following the observing step, washing the egg casings to remove unabsorbed chemical agent.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the chemical agent is neutral red dye.
- 10. The method of claim 8 wherein the chemical agent is erythrosin B.
RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/357,322, filed Dec. 16, 1994, and now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Owen R. R., Improved in vitro Determination of the Viability of Taenia Embryos, Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 79 (6) 655-656. Dec. 1985. |
Sokoloff F., Identification and Management of Pediculosis, The Nurse Practitioner 19(8) 62-64. Aug. 1994. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
357322 |
Dec 1994 |
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